"The new environmental movement is not about guilt…it’s not about being overwhelmed…but it’s about mainstream momentum,…like body building we have to make it sexy…so that everybody wants to participate."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

It’s a mystery how my tiny publishing company, Impala Press, qualified for a free $64 annual subscription to "Waste News" a newsletter for businesses that generate and manage waste. It’s an even bigger surprise that Bud, my husband, and I find the newsletter exciting, innovative, informative and yes, sexy. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said at an April 11 environmental conference in Washington that, "The new environmental movement is not about guilt…it’s not about being overwhelmed…but it’s about mainstream momentum…like body building we have to make it sexy…so that everybody wants to participate."

Just for samples the April 30, 2007 "Waste News" edition featured the winners of the Eco-marathon Americas. Shell Oil, the sponsor, challenged engineers and scientists to design and drive vehicles that are cleaner, safer, more efficient and affordable. The first place car came in with 1,903 miles per gallon. The second and third winners had 1,637 and 1,038 miles per gallon. So it can be done!

The Environment Protection Division EPD has a new WaterSense Program that provides certification for toilets, faucets, shower-heads, dish and cloths washers to help consumers save money and maintain high environmental standards without compromising performance. Since it is estimated that at least 35 U.S. States are going to experience water difficulties by 2013 it makes sense to save money and conserve water.

The EPD estimates that high efficiency toilets would reduce water bills by 10% and save 900 billion gallons per year if used widely. High efficiency toilets will go from 1.6 to 1.28 gallons per flush. Toilets made before 1994 used three to five gallons per flush.

Home Depot now has an Eco Options Aisle for environmentally friendly products that range from insect repellent to washing machines.

Riverside, CA is using the grease from 800 restaurants to power the city’s 33 million-gallon per day wastewater treatment plant. They’ve proven it works. They no longer dispose or restaurant grease in landfills and expect to save $1 million in energy costs annually. The city has a 1.5 million-gallon anaerobic digester where bacteria feeds on grease to create methane gas. The burning of the gas creates electricity.

Conoco Phillips and Tyson Foods Inc. are teaming up to produce renewable diesel fuel that will expand America’s fuel supply and reduce carbon emissions. Tyson will supply Conoco Phillips with byproduct fat from beef, pork and poultry. The oil company will convert the fat to biodiesel fuel. The biodiesel fuel will meet federal standards, be used in existing vehicles, refineries and fuel distribution systems. A spokesman for both companies said the project was viable because of federal tax credits.

"Waste News" also publishes the annual tons of solid waste, the percent of waste to energy and the percent recycled in each state. The Novemeber 20, 2006 edition said Georgia recycled only 8.3% of its waste in 2005—way below the 28.5% average. How sad! Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, New York and Minnesota recycled over 40% of theirs.

Waste Management is indeed an exciting challenge. As Schwarzenegger rightly said politicians trying to block efforts to curb greenhouse gases or water conservation, "will melt away like the polar ice caps."

"Waste News" can be read online at www.wastenews.com.